Itching

Hi

Yes I too itch all over, but fortunatley for me I only had to take this medication for 8 weeks. I had to undergo an operation and my blood pressure was border line and it was considered that I take this medication just to reduce the risk of the operation being postponed. I noticed the itching after 4 weeks and I developed a rash and sores. I have now had my operation and have stopped taking the medication and after 5 days the symptoms are going, what a good job I no longer need the medication.

I have been itchy and very tired wishing to sleep then have early morning awakening ?think this may be depresion also nausea im coming off Amlodipine not helping me.

I developed severe itching which has not gone away now I have stopped taking amlodopine. I also suffered very uncomfortable palpitations whilst taking the dug. I sense there is a problem with it.

I am glad to know I am not alone. I am now permanently itchy and have to take cetirizine hydrochloride daily. My GP has done a complete 'service' to establish whether there is a systemic problem but I have come out of that with flying colours. My partner confessed to me that the drug changed my personality whilst taking it. This drug is definitely dodgy and I do not appear to be recovering from the itchinbg which indicates some long-term adverse effects. I think we need to raise the profile of this issue.

My husband had terrible itching since being on BP meds and it has now been discovered that it is caffeine that is the problem. Now he has decaffeinated tea and coffee and no more sores from all the scratching. Clean sheets again!!

almost any drug can occasionally cause itsch - some more often than others - change the medication and wait to see what happens

Just started this a week ago and I never even thought the itchyness was related to the med. I'm on 5mg but boy do I have any itchy scalp, I thought I might be allergic to something as my eyes were itchy/red but now I know. Thanks for sharing!

I was also on Rimpiril and go that nasty cough so was put on low dose Losartan Pot and now after a couple of months have the same itchig you describe. All body and head - driving me mad!

yes me too, i have been on Amlodipine, doctor has just upped my dosage to 10mg a day and I have experienced itching all over and swelling on the back of my legs. i'm just wondering whether to get back to my doctor for advice.

Hello! I had this terribly with Lisinopril which is a very similar tablet. It took me 6 years of itching to work out that it was caffeine that was responsible. It must react with certain BP tablets. As soon as I switched to decaf tea & coffee and I also cut right down on chocolate too (as it also contains caffeine), within a week I was off the anti histamines and I no longer itch. It felt like a revelation! Give it a try, you have nothing to lose. M&S decaf tea is the best.

I take PB tablets and have done for a few years now. Have used 5 different kinds and will keep on trying until I find one that does not cause itching or coughing. My life is affected due to the dreadful scratching and coughing. I sound like a flea ridden dog that smokes 5 packets of cigarettes a day. My arms are a mess and my back, ears, chin and nose also itch. It is driving me crazy. I wake up with bloodied arms and sheets and nothing seems to work long term. I am wondering if there is anything natural that I can eat or take to help the situation. The only way I can get a good nights sleep is to take phenergan but have terrible trouble waking up in the morning, so can't take these tablets if I have to go out the next morning. I am at my wits end and my doctor is running out of ideas also.

Lozball, what have you been taking for 4 weeks? 

I truly sympathise and empathise having just gone through 3 months itching from head to toe 24 hours a day.  Was washing bedding every day due to blood on the sheet and pillowslips from scratching in my sleep.....that is when I was asleep as I spent some nights walking the floor and smothering myself in different potions and lotions.

?The GP failed to find an answer other than to eventually put me on prescription antihistamine and referred me to a dermatologist saying the waiting time was 18 weeks plus.  That wasn't an option so I arranged a private appointment. 

A skin biopsy pointed to one of my BP pills, either Losartan or Doxazosin.  Although Losartan was the chief suspect, I had been taking 50mg of that for 2 1/2 years with no problem but it didn't reduce my BP and they frequently tried adding another pill, all of which produced nasty side effects (some reducing my already low kidney function still further - I only have one kidney).  The latest pill to be added was Doxazosin and all was well......at first!  The resident pharmacist at my surgery felt that Doxazosin had triggered the side effect in the Losartan.   I stopped the Losartan and after a couple of weeks was able to discontinue the prescription antihistamine, with all itching disappearing.  I was then told to double the dose of Losartan to 100m and since then I am experiencing a little itching from time to time but nothing that I can't handle as long as the double dose of Losartan brings my blood pressure down (haven't tested it yet!).  I have also been gven another BP pill to start (Moxonidin).  This will be about my 8th different pill - my body just doesn't like BP pills. 

I'm in a catch 22 situation because my high blood pressure is dangerous for my kidney function and the blood pressure medication in many cases is itself also proving dangersous for my kidney function.

?I have just noticed that Lozball's post was over a year ago, so this might be of interest to helen00543.